Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
Ah Gam emerged from the room as he entered the bar, he saw Ah Chung watching Ah Kiu like a hawk. When he saw him, he hopped off the stool “Gam Gor. Should we announce right now?”
To his surprise, he shook his head “No. Come with me.” He tapped Ah Kiu’s shoulder and flicked a finger towards him hinting for her to follow too. When they were in the privacy of the room once again, he advised “Change of plans. Ah Chung, you have to keep this secret. I don’t want to announce it just yet. And you…” he pointed to the scared girl “Keep on playing your role as Siu Jei. When I think it’s time to reveal you, I will.”
“But how about the real Siu Jei?” Ah Chung asked with curiosity.
He sighed, “We don’t have to worry about her. I don’t want those rivals to go looking for her, she doesn’t want to be bothered.” His eyes sharpened towards Ah Kiu “Be a good little girl and you won’t get hurt. If you try anything funny, I can always replace you.” He didn’t have to spell it out for her, she understood to the core.
“Yes.” She nodded obediently.
Ah Gam was satisfied with her reaction “Ah Chung, keep an eye on her. I have to go out for a bit. I’ll be back, we’ll talk more then.”
“Yes, Gam Gor.” He bowed respectfully.
He took a cab out to the harbor, it was a cold night as he got out of the car and looked around for anyone suspicious. Pulling over his hooded sweatshirt, he found the person he was looking for. Standing below the steps that led to the water, he turned up to him “Did anyone see you?”
Ah Gam shook his head “No. Thanks, if it weren’t for your quick thinking, I would still be stuck in that God awful jail. Smart of you to distract the other two patrol cars.”
He smiled behind the sunglasses “Those idiots think they’re so smart. I wonder how the people will feel when they realized that imbeciles run the security around here. If not for my many years with the force, their suspicions would grow into a snowball.”
“You would have the P.R.A. back you up even if they tried to.” Ah Gam pointed out the obvious.
“The P.R.A.” he snickered under his breath “What a joke they are. Have you talked to her?”
And by her, Ah Gam knew he was talking about Eve “No, not yet. She said she’ll call me tonight.”
“They’re looking for Chuck, tell her to work fast if she’s planning to get rid of him.” He suggested.
“I’ll tell her.” He promised.
“I should go. Time to kiss up again. God, I hate this part.” He groaned with a shaking head.
Back at headquarters, everyone waited impatiently for Ted to return “Did he say where he was going?” Matt asked the worried wife.
Sara shook her head “No, he said that he’ll be right back. That’s over an hour ago.”
Devin glanced at his watch “The Commissioner is going to arrive any time now. He’s personally doing the check up today out of all days!” he grunted angrily.
“Ted!” Sara was the first to spot him from the doorway. She gave him a quick hug and hit him on the chest “You scared us!”
He smiled warmly “I just had to get out. Being stuck inside for days without seeing sunlight can make a person lose their mind.”
“Tell me about it. Look at Mia.” Doug snorted but earned a flick in the head by Mia on his left.
Devin turned his head suspiciously “You took a walk?” Ted nodded without answering “By yourself?” again he nodded.
Erin turned to him “Why the interrogation?”
He was ready to answer when Ted rose a hand “Guys, I don’t want you fighting over me. I took a walk by myself and it felt good. I lost track of time and that’s all there is to it.”
“Was it sunny out?” Doug nodded to his sunglasses peeking from his jacket pocket.
“Oh, yeah, just for a while.” He smiled “Sorry to worry you guys.”
“I think you worried Sara.” Doug pointed to his cousin, who was flustered but suddenly sparkled when her husband returned.
Ted stroked her hair lovingly “Silly girl. Nothing will happen to me.”
“Ahem!” a deep voice interrupted the group.
They turned to Commissioner “Lau Sir.” The group nodded randomly.
“Glad to see you are still obeying orders Captain.” He said with small daggers behind each word.
“I have nothing to hide, sir.” Ted replied nobly.
Devin placed his hands behind his back “You came, you checked…if you don’t mind, we are in the middle of a meeting.” He nodded to his team as the automatically took their seats.
The Commissioner was not ready to go “Devin, may I speak with you in private?”
He glanced at his watch “I’ll be done in an hour. If you don’t mind waiting, why don’t you sit in my office? Afterall, it is rude to desert a team.” His double meaning comment was understood.
His face turned red with embarrassment as he nodded and tried to look cool “Very well. Good evening.”
“Bye bye.” Mia waved as she wrinkled her nose and smiled. After he left the conference room, she turned to the group “I think someone needs to get laid.” Her eyes winked towards the door.
Matt shook his head with a sideways grin “You’re going to make him wait?” he asked Devin, who shrugged in reply. He laughed “Boy, I feel sorry for your wife—” he caught himself before further damage could be done.
All eyes moved to Erin slowly “What?” she asked heatedly.
“Make that two.” Mia whispered to Darren.
****************
One week later
Daniel sat casually at one of the deli tables, sipping his hot coffee leisurely while reading the headlines to the newspaper. Erin quickened her steps, she hated being late for any lunch date. She was short of breath by the time she sat down across from him “I’m sorry, I overslept and stupid Luke hogged all the hot water so I had to wait for him to finish—” she didn’t realize she was babbling on to a stranger.
The man dropped his paper “Excuse me?”
“Oh!” she was taken aback by the man. Erin turned to the tapping on her shoulder, her lips curled into a smile “Sorry.” She apologized to the stranger and took a seat with Daniel’s table behind her.
He grinned teasingly “Someone’s head is in the clouds this morning.” He poured her a cup of hot tea.
“Just a little.” She smiled embarrassingly “I just hate being late.” She explained “It’s not right to keep people waiting.”
Daniel leaned closer and patted her arm “It’s okay. I’m very patient, I can wait.”
Erin lowered her eyes “Daniel…”
“Okay, let’s not talk about nonsense.” He brushed away the sudden awkward air “I think you should take a look at this.” He handed her the article page he was reading.
Her brows furrowed with curiosity “Captain Kwong of Kowloon Police Department Charged With Conspiracy.” She turned to Daniel “These trashy papers will write anything.”
“Blame it on the free speech.” He sighed and folded it neatly beside him “Did you find who you were looking for?”
Erin shook her head sadly “I found a link.” She decided not to tell him about Ah Gam “Unfortunately, he’s not willing to spill anything. Uncle Chuck is still missing.”
“Did you try asking around?” he sympathized.
“I asked his neighbors and no one had a clue that the couple had moved everything out that day.” She sighed “I just pray that he’s okay.”
“You know what I heard?” he leaned closer as if revealing a tight secret. She smiled with a shaking head “There’s a river in the Lam Village, that runs to the ocean. It’s said to have magic powers and when a person is in need of answers. You can come with one fresh white orchid and drop it at the nape of the river and watch it until it flows away. At the same time, you say your wish over and over. The wish will come true in a matter of days. Orchids were flowers used by our forefathers and are said to be mystical and the scent is mesmerizing.”
She couldn’t hold in her amusement “Commander, I’m surprised you would fall for such nonsense. Tell me, does your mother tell you tall tales to keep you grounded?”
He sat back with a crooked grin “Laugh all you can but ask anyone who’s tried this method, it has never failed.”
“And I suppose you could find them in the Chung Wah Mental Hospital?” she laughed and finished her tea.
“You’re desperate aren’t you?” he questioned deeper. Her smile faded, she was very much so but wasn’t going to allow her to fall into the stories told to feed the ego of those that made it up “It doesn’t hurt to try.” He said matter-of-factly.
Erin couldn’t help but agree “I just feel silly.” She admitted.
Daniel finished his coffee “Come on, I’ll be silly with you.” He paid for the drink and took her to the nearest flower store and bought one single white orchid. He drove them to the secluded village and parked the car alongside the road. They jumped a small fence to get to the endless green meadow. He spotted the river and pointed it out “You see it?”
“That’s a river?” she asked, it was barely a stream.
“It’s much bigger when we get closer.” He laughed and took her by the hand. When they reached the bottom of the hill, she looked around for people “No one’s going to judge you. Chances are, if people are around they’re here for the same reasons.” He broke off the flower and handed it to her.
She pressed her lips together before stepping closer to the river “If Mia can see me now, she’d pee in her pants.” She shook her head and placed the flower gently along the flowing stream. It began to take it away and around the rocks. Erin closed her eyes and repeated the words ‘Keep Uncle Chuck safe’.
He watched her with fascination, it must be wonderful to be someone that she loved. When Erin opened her eyes, she saw that Daniel was staring intently at her. He blushed and turned away “Uh…okay, now we just wait.”
Erin had to admit he was a pleasure to look at but she couldn’t let herself to fall for him. Perhaps she was still hung up on a certain someone that she could not let go of “I should get back home.” She said softly and headed back to the car.